The Nation - Role of the educated i

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Subject: The Nation - Role of the educated in the revolution

Editorial & Opinion

Role of the educated in the revolution

Where are the educated and why are they not leading the fight for Burma's
freedom? Win Htein takes a look at what some of them have to say.

In the middle of March, about 900 Burmese students were permitted to go to
the ''safe area'', Baan Maniloi, Ratchaburi, southwest of Bangkok. There
they must wait to go to third countries. This is the largest number of
students to enter the safe camp at one time in the past eight years.

There are about 600 students staying in this camp who have obtained refugee
status from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) Bangkok
office.

''Since November 1992, about 900 students have gone to third countries,'' Ko
Aung Htun, a 38-year-old former student from Rangoon University, told the
Democratic Voice of Burma. Now, he is a leader in the Burmese Students
Association (BSA) in the safe area.

The camp, formerly a unit of the Border Patrol Police (BPP), has the
official name of the ''Burmese Students' Centre''. There are ten barracks
and several huts in the approximately 1,000 square metre compound.

Some students are sleeping without a fan under a hot zinc roof. Some are
sitting and talking while they smoke in the tea and betel nut shops. A few
are in the library and some of their children are studying in Dawn School.

An official of the Thai Home Ministry controls the camp, which is
coordinated by the UNHCR. There have been many problems between the Thai
authorities and students seeking more rights, such as more electricity,
larger barracks, more frequent travel, more political activities and more
open media etc.

However, the United States, Canada and Australia are becoming the students'
new homelands because in their minds there is no alternative for their
future. Most of them are former members of the All Burma Students'
Democratic Front (ABSDF), which was founded on the Thai-Burma border after
the 8888 popular uprising.

''We are democratic, so anyone can choose their own way. We should not
control them. But it must be clear, the ABSDF never urges people to go away
from Burma. Our main forces are inland. We hope that they will continue the
struggle in their own way, and go back to Burma after their studies,''

explained Ko Aung Naing Oo, the spokesperson of the ABSDF, about the Front's
policy for the students.

Why do people want to go to third countries?

''Because we have no option. We cannot go back to Burma and we cannot live
in Thailand,'' said a former member who recently resigned from the ABSDF.
''We must choose our own way for our future. If I could go back to Burma
with a guarantee of being a political activist, I'm sure I would not have
chosen this refugee way''.

But some exiled students did not agree with his comment. ''I think we have
some options. We should choose to stay in Thailand if we want to continue
the struggle because it's the nearest country. There are one million Burmese
living here, why is it just the students who cannot stay?'' complained an
exiled Burmese student who is now an NGO worker in Bangkok.

A senior leader of the ABSDF disapproved of students applying to go to third
countries. He said in a border camp, ''When people take this option the
revolutionary forces on the border and inside Burma lose numbers and
strength.''

Despite the controversy, 80 per cent of exiled educated Burmese try to go
third countries. Why?

Moreover, on the other side of the border, the SPDC controlled area, what is
the situation of educated people?

Inside Burma, about 15 per cent of educated people go to foreign countries
to find good jobs. This is because the military rulers have no respect for
their status. They have no right to talk, write, or think freely. In Burma,
if someone has a fax machine or access to the Internet, there is a
punishment of seven years jail. Another problem is that salaries are so
poor.

''There are two points. First, we don't like the military ruler and second,
we need a higher salary,'' said a Burmese lecturer in Bangkok's Assumption
Business Administration College (Abac) University.

Her monthly salary in Rangoon University was 1750 kyat (Bt175) and she had
no right to make any suggestions to the university. Now, in Bangkok, her
salary is nearly Bt20,000, she has her own computer with Internet access and
her opinion is valued.

At the same time, some young educated rebels are still fighting the junta by
armed struggle in the jungle along the border. They describe educated people
who have gone to foreign countries as ''selfish''.

What is the role of educated people in Burma's revolution?

Most analysts have said that the world situation has changed already from
favouring armed struggle to dialogue. The middle class (educated people) are
the leaders of the next revolutions.

For example, in May 1992 in Thailand, educated people led a revolution by
demonstrating against the military dictator, General Suchinda Kraprayoon in
Bangkok's streets.

About 60 per cent of Thais are middle class (educated people). How large is
the middle class in Burma? No one can say with precision.

''Asian countries have some differences in their backgrounds. Thailand, the
Philippines and Korea are developed, so their revolution was led by the
middle class. But Burma, Indonesia and Cambodia are not yet developed, so
they do not have a strong middle class,'' commented a Burmese journalist

studying political science in London.

Obviously, the educated Burmese people are afraid of the authorities more
than in any other country. They are easy for the generals to control because
they work in government departments as civil servants. There are no
independent academics, civil institutions, NGOs, etc in Burma.

Even people living outside Burma are still afraid of the generals. ''The MIS
[Military Intelligence Service] know everything about us, they have records
for everyone in their embassies. If I give an interview, first they will
cancel my passport and then they will warn my family in Rangoon,'' said an
engineer in Bangkok.

This is the case not only for engineers but also for 90 per cent of Burmese,
including some journalists who work for foreign-based news agencies and for
radio stations.

Dr Myo Nyunt, a Burmese Economics professor from Edith Cowan University in
Australia, commented in an interview with DVB: ''All educated people don't
like military rule. We want a change to a new government in our country.

''But know, the Burmese generals are different to rulers in any other part
of the world. They are very cruel and very obstinate and they never respond
to the world community's pressure.''

The lecturer from Abac agreed with his comment. ''Educated people in Burma
had a role in which they did not openly challenge the control of the
military. Because of this educated people obey illegal commands of ignorant
people [soldiers]. So I decided in my mind never to go back to Burma before
there is democracy.''

Almost all educated Burmese share her opinion. But the question is ''Who
will bring democracy to Burma for them?'' They forget their role in the
democracy movement. Therefore, the educated people are more afraid of the
junta than the grassroots people are!

''You Burmese are not only afraid but also wracked with disunity. I have met
many opposition groups in exile. If you cannot fix these problems, how you
can face a strong army?'' a western journalist said in criticising his
Burmese counterparts.

''I see everyone waiting and hoping for Aung San Suu Kyi to reach for
democracy. But they are not listening to her 'freedom from fear', they are
still afraid''.

However, most educated Burmese want to go to foreign countries rather than
to lead people to fight for their rights and for a change of government from
the military to a democratic system.

''We cannot bring democracy to Burma, so we go to democratic countries!'' It
is a big joke among the exiled students in the safe area.

''We want to study modern technology and science in developed countries. One
day, I hope we can help Burma as academics in the re-established country,''
said the former member of the ABSDF.

How many people are just waiting for that ''one day''? How many people are
really fighting to take that ''one day''? Obviously, that ''one day'' cannot
be reached automatically.

''We [educated people] are not policy makers. We are just policy
instruments. We have spent over ten years in the jungle and we have no
chance here to study further. So, the leaders must think about how to solve
this brain drain,'' the former member continued.


Actually, no one wants to stay in the jungle or under the military rulers in
Burma. So why do people still live in the jungle and under the soldiers?

''We are the new generation of the 8888 uprising. There must be an end to
the military dictator in our era. This is our 8888 generation's historical
task,'' claimed the ABSDF senior leader.

No one would argue that the educated should study in developed countries for
the re-establishment of Burma. But this does not mean that all educated
people from Burma should go to foreign countries.

What is the role of the educated in the coming uprising?

Are they just waiting outside the country until democracy is achieved? Or
are they leading people in the struggle for Burma?

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Win Htein is a correspondent for the Democratic Voice of Burma.